Photographic apparatus

ABSTRACT

In a photographic apparatus ( 1 ), there are included a housing ( 11 ) consisting of a pair of side panels ( 13, 14 ) and a top panel ( 15 ) provided contiguously to the side panels ( 13, 14 ) in pair, these panels defining together a photo compartment ( 16 ) in the housing ( 11 ), a photographic unit ( 17 ) provided at the rear side of the housing ( 11 ) to take a picture of an object person inside the photo compartment ( 16 ), printers ( 18, 19 ) installed to the housing ( 11 ) to print an image of the object person, captured by the photographic unit ( 17 ), onto a photographic paper and eject the photographic paper having the object image printed thereon to a photo outlet ( 38 ), and a curtain ( 33 ) provided, by hanging, on the top panel ( 15 ) at the front side, opposite to the rear side, of the housing ( 11 ) to face the photographic unit ( 17 ). One ( 13 ) of the side panels ( 13, 14 ) is formed narrower than the other ( 14 ). The housing ( 11 ) is generally flush, at the bottom thereof, with the floor surface. The area extending from the front end of the housing ( 11 ) to that of the narrower side panel ( 13 ) is an entrance ( 23 ) for the object person entering the photo chamber ( 16 ). Because of this wide entrance ( 23 ), even a person sitting on a wheelchair or using any other aid can easily enter the photo compartment ( 16 ) for photography.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a photographic apparatus for anidentification picture etc.

[0002] This application claims the priority of the Japanese PatentApplication No. 2002-103039 filed on Apr. 4, 2002, the entirety of whichis incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND ART

[0003]FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a conventional photographic,generally indicated with a reference number 100, for an identificationpicture. As shown, the photographic apparatus 100 consists of agenerally rectangular housing 101 having a photo compartment 102 definedtherein. The housing 101 has built therein a photographic unit 103 totake a picture of a person as an object (will be referred to as “objectperson” hereinafter) having entered the photo compartment 102, and aprinter 104 to print out a picture taken by the photographic unit 103.

[0004] Also, the housing 101 has an entrance 105 for access to insidethe photo compartment 102. The entrance 105 is provided with a shadecurtain 106. The photo compartment 102 has provided therein a chair 107on which an object person sits. In addition, the photographic apparatus100 has provided therein an illuminating device 109 to illuminate theobject person. Also, a coin slot and safe (not shown), etc., areprovided in the photographic apparatus 100.

[0005] When an object person enters the photo compartment 102 of thephotographic apparatus 100 through the entrance 105 and sits down on thechair 107, the photographic unit 103 is ready for taking a picture ofthe object person. Then, a flash photography is made of the objectperson sitting on the chair 107 and the printer 104 prints out thecaptured image data.

[0006] In the field of medicine, however, medical personnel such as adoctor, nurse or the like has to identify each of their patients by amedical record, registration card or the like of the patient. On thisaccount, a facial portrait is attached on such a medical record orregistration card to prevent the medical personnel from mixing up theirpatients and taking a wrong procedure to the patient in question. Thephotographic apparatus 100 is used to make a facial portrait which is tobe attached on the medical record or registration card.

[0007] Patients include ones needing a wheelchair or axillary crutchesto move. The aforementioned conventional photographic apparatus 100cannot be said to be suitable for such patients. That is, there is astep 108 between the entrance 105 and a floor surface 110 on which theapparatus 100 is installed, and the entrance 105 is designed as narrowas possible to minimize external light coming into the photo compartment102. A patient using a wheelchair or axillary crutches cannot easilyenter the photo compartment 102 because the step 108 and narrow entrance105 will be obstacles to such a patient.

[0008] Also, since the chair 107 is provided in the photo compartment102 of the conventional photographic apparatus 100, a patient on awheelchair has to move himself or herself from the wheelchair to thechair 107, which is very hard for the patient. Also, since the photocompartment 102 of the photographic apparatus 100 is designed to haveonly a necessary space for shooting a person sitting on the chair 107,it is hard for the attendant of such a handicapped patient to go alongwith the patient into the photo compartment 102 for assisting thepatient during photography and operating the photographic unit 103 forthe patient.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Accordingly, the present invention has an object to overcome theabove-mentioned drawbacks of the related art by providing a booth-typephotographic apparatus permitting even a handicapped person on awheelchair or using any other aid to easily take an identificationpicture of himself or herself.

[0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide aphotographic apparatus easy to be operated also by the attendant or thelike of an object person.

[0011] Another object of the present invention is to provide aphotographic apparatus used for the above purpose and which can beinstalled stably on a floor surface or the like.

[0012] The above object can be attained by providing a photographicapparatus including, according to the present invention, a housingformed from a pair of side panels and a top panel provided between theside panels in pair and having a photo compartment defined therein; aphotographic means installed at the rear side of the housing for imagingan object inside the photo compartment; a printing means installed onthe housing for printing the object image, captured by the photographicmeans, onto a photographic paper and ejecting the object image-printedphotographic paper to an outlet; and a shading member installed, byhanging, to the top panel at the front side, opposite to the rear side,of the housing to face the photographic means, one of the side panels inpair of the housing being formed narrower than the other and the bottomof the housing being formed generally flush with a floor surface onwhich the apparatus is to be installed; and the area extending from thefront end of one of the side panels to that of the other being used asan entrance through which the object is to enter the photo compartment.

[0013] Also the above object can be attained by providing a photographicapparatus including, according to the present invention, a housingformed from a pair of side panels and a top panel provided between theside panels in pair, one of the side panels in pair of the housing beingformed narrower than the other, the bottom of the housing being formedgenerally flush with a floor surface on which the apparatus is to beinstalled, a photo compartment being defined inside the housing, and thearea extending from the front end of one of the side panels to that ofthe other being used as an entrance through which the object is to enterthe photo compartment; a photographic means installed at the rear sideof the housing for imaging an object inside the photo compartment; aprinting means installed on the housing for printing the object image,captured by the photographic means, onto a photographic paper andejecting the object image-printed photographic paper to an outlet; ashading member installed, by hanging, to the top panel at the front sideof the housing opposite to close the entrance to the photo compartment;and an operating means installed, near the photographic means, on one ofthe side panels of the housing.

[0014] These and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will become more apparent from the following detaileddescription of the best mode for carrying out the present invention whentaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015]FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the conventional photographicapparatus.

[0016]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the photographic apparatusaccording to the present invention from the front side.

[0017]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the photographic apparatus in FIG.2 from the rear side.

[0018]FIG. 4 is a perspective plan view of the photographic apparatus inFIG. 2.

[0019]FIG. 5 is a plan view of a pair of illuminating devices, right andleft, provided in the photo compartment.

[0020]FIG. 6 explains a picture taken by the conventional method, thatis, by illuminating the object obliquely from the upper front of him.

[0021]FIG. 7 explains a picture taken by illuminating the objectobliquely from the front right and left of him or her by the pair ofilluminating devices in FIG. 5.

[0022]FIG. 8 is a view from the front side of the photographic apparatuswith the curtain being closed.

[0023]FIG. 9A is a plan view of a mechanism for supporting the chairpivotably, and FIGS. 9B and 9C are a front view and side elevation,respectively, of the mechanism.

[0024]FIG. 10 is a side elevation of the chair being lifted up to midwayby the pivoting support mechanism.

[0025]FIG. 11 is a plan view of the chair in an out-of-use position.

[0026]FIG. 12 is a block diagram of a control circuit included in thephotographic apparatus.

[0027]FIG. 13 shows a flow of operations of the control circuit.

[0028]FIG. 14 is a plan view of another example of the pivoting supportmechanism.

[0029]FIG. 15 is a side elevation of the variant of the pivoting supportmechanism.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0030] The photographic apparatus according to the present inventionwill be described in detail below with reference to the accompanyingdrawings.

[0031] Referring now to FIGS. 2 to 4, there is schematically illustratedan embodiment of the photographic apparatus according to the presentinvention, generally indicated with a reference number 1. Thisphotographic apparatus 1 is of a booth type to be installed in ahospital or the like for making a facial portrait of a patient or thelike. As shown, the photographic apparatus 1 (will be referred to as“photo booth” hereinafter) includes a housing 11 as a main body. Thehousing 11 consists of a rear panel 12, side panels 13 and 14 providedoppositely to each other and at opposite lateral ends of the rear panel12, and a top panel 15 provided between the side panels 13 and 14 and atthe tops of the latter panels to cover the opening between the sidepanels 13 and 14 and form a ceiling of the housing 11. Thus, the rearpanel 12, pair of side panels 13 and 14 and the top panel 15 definetogether a photo compartment 16.

[0032] A person as an object (will be referred to as “object person”hereinafter) having entered the photo compartment 16 will be facing therear panel 12. Inside the rear panel 12, there are provided anphotographic unit 17 to take a picture of the object person, printers 18and 19 to print the picture taken by the photographic unit 17, an imageprocessing circuit to convert image signal outputs from the photographicunit 17 from analog to digital, a main circuit board 21 havingincorporated therein various electric circuits such as a control circuitto provide a system control, etc.

[0033] The above photographic unit 17 includes an image pick-up unit 17a having an imaging device such as a CCD (charge-coupled device), ahalf-mirror 17 b provided on a surface of the photo compartment 16,opposite to an object person, and a light reflector 17 c to reflectlight allowed to pass through the half-mirror 17 b. When taking apicture of the object person, the half-mirror 17 b reflects light fromthe object person in a predetermined amount with which the object personcan see his or her own face, and allows the remainder of the light topass through. Thus, the image pick-up unit 17 a can capture an image ofthe object person.

[0034] The light having passed through the half-mirror 17 b is reflectedby the light reflector. 17 c toward the image pick-up unit 17 a whichwill thus take a picture of the object person. An output from the imagepick-up unit 17 a is supplied to the image processing circuit in themain circuit board 21 where it will digitally be processed and theresulting digital data be provided as an output to the printer 18 or 19.

[0035] The first one (18) of the printers 18 and 19 is a main printernormally used, while the second printer 19 is an auxiliary printer whichis to be used when the first printer 18 is out of order. The digitaldata resulted from the digital processing of the image is supplied tothe first or second printer 18 or 19 where it will be printed onto aphotographic paper. In addition, a power switch 20 a, a safe (cash box)20 b, etc. are provided inside the rear panel 12 of the housing 11.

[0036] The side panels 13 and 14 are provided integrally with the rearpanel 12 and nearly parallel to each other. The rear panel 12, sidepanels 13 and 14 are formed from a relatively heavy material such assteel plate so that the housing 11 is heavy at the lower portion thereofand can be installed stably on the floor surface 2.

[0037] One (13) of the side panels 13 and 14 is formed narrower than theother side panel 14. The housing 11 is installed with the wider sidepanel 14 placed along any wall of a room where the photo booth 1 isinstalled. The narrower side panel 13 has provided thereon anoverturn-preventive member 22 which is to be connected to the floorsurface 2. To prevent the housing 11 from being falling down whenpressed from the side of the side panel 13, the overturn-preventivemember 22 is screwed or otherwise secured to the floor surface 2 andside wall 13. The other side panel 14, formed wider than the side panel13, can well support the housing 11 even when it is pressed from theside of the side panel 13.

[0038] The top panel 15 provided between the side panels 13 and 14provides a ceiling of the photo compartment 16. It is formed to have alength generally equal to, or somewhat larger than, the width of thewide side wall 14. According to the present invention, the top panel 15is formed from a resin plate such as polypropylene or the like. That is,the top panel 15 is formed from a material smaller in specific gravitythan the material of the side panels 13 and 14. The circumference,including the side panels 13 and 14, of the housing 11 is formed from amaterial having a relatively larger specific gravity, such as steelplate or the like, while the top panel 15 provided at the top of thehousing 11 is formed from a material having a relatively smallerspecific gravity. Thus, the housing 11 is heavier at the lower portionthereof than at the higher portion, so that it can be installed stablyon the floor surface 2.

[0039] The photo compartment 16 is defined by the pair of side panels 13and 14 integrally joined to the rear panel 12, and the top panel 15. Thearea extending between the front end of one (13) of the side panels 13and 14 and that of the other side panel 14 is an entrance 23 to thephoto compartment 16. Thus, the entrance 23 can be made wider because itis defined between the side panels 13 and 14 different in width fromeach other. It is wide enough for a patient on a wheelchair to be ableto easily enter the photo compartment 16 for photography without havingto get off the wheelchair once and take another position. As mentionedabove, the housing 11 does not have bottom plate. That is, the floorsurface 2 is the floor of the photo compartment 16 in itself. Therefore,at the entrance 23 to the photo compartment 16 in the photo booth 1,there is not any step which is found in the conventional photographicapparatus, so that even a patient sitting on a wheelchair or using anyother aid can readily enter the photo compartment 16 for photographywithout having to get off the wheelchair once and take another position.

[0040] The photo compartment 16 will be described in detail herebelow:

[0041] The photo compartment 16 has provided therein a chair 24supported pivotably on the wider side panel 14 and on which an objectperson sits for photography. In some cases, a patient sitting on awheelchair or using any other aid enters the photo compartment 16through the entrance 23. In this case, the chair 24 will be an obstacleto the patient. On this account, the chair 24 is designed to be foldedonto the wider side panel 14. With the chair 24 turned to an out-of-useposition, the patient on the wheelchair can enter the photo compartment16.

[0042] Also, the chair 24 has a seat nearly as high as that of thewheelchair. For a simplified mechanism, the photographic unit 17 isimmobile. It should be noted that an object person, having the head at aheight when not sitting on a wheelchair, will have the head at adifferent height when sitting on the wheelchair. On this account, theseat of the chair 24 is nearly as high as that of the wheelchair so thatwhen sitting on the chair 24, a person not on any wheelchair will havethe head at a height generally equal to that at which a person sittingon a wheelchair will have the head and the photographic unit 17, fixedin place, will be able to positively cover the face of an object person.It should be noted that next to the chair 24, there is provided a smallshelf 25 on which the object person may put his bag or the like duringphotography.

[0043] The photo compartment 16 has a first wall 16 a formed toperpendicular to an optical axis L of the image pick-up unit 17 a of thephotographic unit 17. In the photo compartment 16, a patient sitting onthe chair 24 or on a wheel chair will face the first wall 16 a. Thegenerally rectangular half-mirror 17 b included in the photographic unit17 is provided in a position where it will be opposite to the face ofthe object person. The patient sitting on the chair 24 or a wheelchaircan have the face imaged by the photographic unit 17 while looking atthe face in the half-mirror 17 b.

[0044] The photo compartment 16 has also second and third walls 16 b and16 c provided contiguously to the right and left ends, respectively, ofthe first wall 16 a thereof on which the half-mirror 17 b is provided.Each of the second and third walls 16 b and 16 c forms an angle with thefirst wall 16 a in the direction toward the latter. The second and thirdwalls 16 b and 16 c have illuminating devices 26 and 27 providedthereon, respectively. Each of the illuminating devices 26 and 27illuminates the object person in the photo compartment 16. Eachilluminating device incorporates a light source which is turned on for aflash photography. Conventionally, the illuminating devices illuminatethe object person from the upper front. According to the presentinvention, however, the illuminating devices 26 and 27 illuminate theobject person obliquely from the front right and left of him or her.This is intended to prevent an difference in illumination between theforehead and chin of the object person's face, namely, between the upperand lower portions of the face while making wrinkles unnoticeable bypreventing the wrinkles from making their shadows.

[0045] As best shown in FIG. 5, the illuminating devices 26 and 27 areprovided on the second and third walls 16 b and 16 c, respectively, sothat a line connecting a center O₁ of the chair 24 and a center O₂ ofthe illuminating device 26 will form an angle θ₁ with the optical axis Lof the image pick-up unit 17 a while a line connecting the center O₁ ofthe chair 24 and a center O₃ of the illuminating device 27 will form anangle θ₂ with the optical axis L. The angles θ₁ and θ₂ are set to assurethat the shadow on the object person's face will be smooth, no lightspots will result in images of eyeglasses put, if any, on the objectperson's face and no shadow will result on the image background. Theyshould preferably be with a range from 30 to 70 degrees, and morepreferably be 50 degrees.

[0046] Generally, a difference in illumination between the right andleft portions of the face will make clear features of a face image in aphoto. On this account, the illuminating devices 26 and 27 are soarranged as to illuminate the object person for such a difference inillumination between the right and left portions of the object person'sface. According to the present invention, the illuminating devices 26and 27 are arranged to illuminate the object person with a difference inillumination being within a range of 1:1.5 to 1:3, for example andpreferably 1:2. It should be noted that either of the illuminatingdevices 26 and 27 may be adapted to provide an intenser illumination.Thus, in a picture taken by this photo booth 1, the shadows can besmooth and any object person can be imaged to appear three-dimensional,not two-dimensional. It should also be noted that the photo booth 1according to the present invention uses a CCD as the image pick-up unit17 a in the photographic unit 17. The CCD is narrower in latitude than acamera using a silver filer (silver-film camera). Therefore, in thisphoto booth 1, the ratio of difference in illumination between the rightand left portions of an object person's face is set smaller than thatwith the silver-film camera.

[0047] Note that the effect of the above arrangement will be wellconfirmed from FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG. 6 shows a picture taken byilluminating the object person obliquely from the upper front of him asin the conventional photographic apparatus, and FIG. 7 shows a picturetaken by illuminating the object person obliquely from the front rightand left of him or her by the illuminating devices 26 and 27. As will beknown through comparison of these pictures, no noticeable images ofwrinkles on the object person's face are found in the picture in FIG. 7.This is because the oblique illumination of the object person from thefront right and left of him or her as having been described aboveeliminates the difference in illumination between the upper and lowerportions of the face and prevents the wrinkles from making theirshadows.

[0048] Also note that the photo compartment 16 has provided therein, inaddition to the illuminating devices 26 and 27, an illuminating device28 destined to illuminate the object person from below. As shown, theilluminating device 28 is provided on an upper surface 28 b of aprotrusion 28 a provided on the first wall 16 a and below thehalf-mirror 17 b and which extends inwardly in the photo compartment 16.The illuminating device 28 is directed so that it will emit lightobliquely upward.

[0049] Also in the photo compartment 16, there is provided on one (13)of the side panels a fare box 29 facing an object person in the photocompartment 16 and which forms a part of the controller of the photobooth 1, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4. The fare box 29 is composed of a coinslot 29 a for receiving coins and a bill slot 29 b for receiving bills.These coin and bill slots 29 a and 29 b are provided at a height atwhich a person sitting on the chair 24 can easily put money into them.Since the seat of the chair 24 is as high as that of a wheelchair, evena person sitting on a wheelchair can easily put money into the fare box29.

[0050] Note that in this embodiment, although only the fare box 29 isprovided as a part of the controller, a photography start button, apre-print check button to check a picture taken by the photographybefore printing in the printer 18 or 19, etc. may be provided inaddition. In this case, such buttons are provided on one (13) of theside panels to face every object person in the photo compartment 16.

[0051] Below the protrusion 28 a, there is a concavity 31 forpositioning an object person for photography. The positioning concavity31 is designed sufficiently high to receive the knees of the objectperson sitting on the chair 24 or on a wheelchair. An object personenters the photo compartment 16 and sits on the chair 24, or an objectperson sitting on a wheelchair enters the photo compartment 16 from theentrance 23, then puts the knees into the positioning concavity 31, heor she can easily position himself or herself for photography. That is,by putting the knees into the positioning concavity 31, the objectperson will direct himself correctly to the half-mirror 17 b.

[0052] Further, the photo compartment 16 has provided therein an objectdetector 32 to detect whether an object person has entered the photocompartment 16. The object detector 32 is fixed to the top panel 15 justabove the chair 24, and detects an object person is in place forphotography. When the object detector 32 detects an object person, itsupplies a detection signal to the control circuit in the main circuitboard 21, and the control circuit switches the mode of operation fromstandby to photography.

[0053] Note that the object detector 32 may be provided inside theaforementioned positioning concavity 31. In case the object detector 32is provided on the top panel 15, it will detect an object person evenwhen he or she is not just in place for photography, for example when heis just standing inside the photo compartment 16. On the contrary, incase the object detector 32 is provided inside the positioning concavity31, it will be able to detect an object person precisely in place forphotography because it can only detect the object person having theknees put inside the positioning concavity 31.

[0054] In a portion of the top panel 15, corresponding to the entrance23 to the photo compartment, there is provided a curtain rail or hook(not shown) from which a shading curtain 33 is suspended. The entrance23 can thus be opened and closed by the curtain 33. The curtain 33 caneffectively block light to prevent light from incidence into the photocompartment 16 during photography.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 8, the above curtain 33 can freely be moved foreasy entrance to the photo compartment 16. Also, a vertical slit 33 a isformed in a portion of the curtain 33. The side of the curtain 33, beingat the photo compartment 16 and at the back of the object person, willprovide a background in a picture to be taken. The slit 33 a is formedin other than the background-forming area of the curtain 33. It shouldbe noted that the shading member may be any other material than thecurtain 33, for example, a plate or the like,

[0056] As mentioned above, the front end face of the side panel 13narrower than the side panel 14 provides one end of the entrance 23. Afirst handrail 34 is vertically installed to the front end face of theside panel 13 at an appropriate height. The first handrail 34 will be anaid for a handicapped one such as a patient using axially crutches orsitting on a wheelchair when entering the photo compartment 16 from theentrance 23. Also, the front end face of the side panel 14 wider thanthe side panel 13 provides the opposite end of the entrance 23. A secondhandrail 35 is vertically installed to the front end face of the sidepanel 14 at an upper portion. This second handrail 35 is to be used by apatient using axially crutches, for example, when entering the photocompartment 16 from the entrance 23. Further, a third handrail 36 ishorizontally installed to the side panel 14 at nearly the same height asthe top of the fare box 29 forming a part of the controller. This thirdhandrail 36 can be used by an object person sitting on the chair 24 or aperson sitting on a wheelchair, for example, to easily repositionhimself or herself. It should be noted that on the outer side of thenarrow side panel 13, there is provided a photo outlet 38 to which apicture printed out by the printer 18 or 19 is ejected.

[0057] As will be seen from FIGS. 9 to 11, the chair 24 is installed tothe wider side panel 14 via a pivoting support mechanism, generallyindicated with a reference number 40. The pivoting support mechanism 40includes a chair mount member 41 to which the chair 24 is installed. Thechair mount member 41 is pivotably installed via a pivot 43 to apivoting support 42 formed at one end thereof integrally with the sidepanel 14. The chair mount member 41 has provided beneath the chair 24 achair support member 44 which supports the chair 24.

[0058] The chair support member 44 supports the chair 24 on which anobject person sits. The chair support member 44 has provided at one endthereof a support 44 a which touches the bottom of the photo compartment16, namely, the floor surface 2, and is pivotably installed to the chairmounting member 41 via a pivot 45. It should be noted that the chair 24is provided at the side thereof, opposite to the side panel 14, with alever 24 a which is to be operated when turning the chair 24 toward theside panel 13. Since the lever 24 a is provided at the side of the chair24, opposite to the narrower side panel 13, it is easy to operate forturning the chair 24.

[0059] The chair mount member 41 and chair support member 44 areconnected to each other via a linkage 46. The linkage 46 is pivotablyinstalled at one end thereof to the side of the chair support member 44,opposite to the chair 24, for example, via a pivot 47. The linkage 46has engagement projections 49 formed at the other end thereof. Theengagement projections 49 are engaged in guide holes 48 formed in thechair mount member 41.

[0060] The linkage 46 moves, when pivoting the chair 24, the chairsupport member 44 to an in-use position where the chair support member44 supports the chair 24, namely, where it is generally perpendicular tothe floor surface 2, and also to an out-of-use position where the chairsupport member 44 is held generally parallel to the side wall 14.

[0061] More particularly, when the chair 24 is in place for use, thelinkage 46 holds the chair support member 44 generally perpendicularlyto the floor surface 2 (in-use position) with the engagement projections49 being at one ends of the guide holes 48. When the chair 24 is pivotedfrom the place for use, the engagement projections 49 move along theguide holes 48 to the other ends of the latter. Thus, the chair supportmember 44 is turned about the pivot 45 in one direction and becomesnearly parallel to the side panel 14 and chair 24 (out-of-use position).

[0062] Also, the chair mount member 41 is connected to the side panel 14via a damper 51. The damper 51 is pivotably installed at one end thereofon the chair mount member 41 via a pivot 52, and at the other end at apivot 53 a on a support 53 provided below the pivoting support 42 on theside panel 14. The damper 51 slows down the movement of the chair 24being pivoted.

[0063] Further, the side panel 14 has provided thereon a holdingmechanism 54 to hold the chair 24 in the out-of-use position. Theholding mechanism 54 has a catch 56 installed to a fixture 55 providedintegrally on the side panel 14. The catch 56 is supported at the middlethereof on the fixture 55 pivotably by a pivot 57. It has formed at oneend thereof an engagement projection 58 which engages on the chair 24and at the other end a presser 60 which presses a sensor 59 whichdetects that the chair 24 is in the out-of-use position.

[0064] Also, the catch 56 has fixed thereto one end of a spring 62 whichis fixed at the other end thereof to a retainer 61 fixed to the sidepanel 14. Thus, the spring 62 forces the catch 56 downward, namely, in adirection for the engagement protection 58 to engage on the chair 24.

[0065] The pivoting support mechanism 40 constructed as above functionsas will be described herebelow:

[0066] When the chair 24 is set in the in-use position in the photocompartment 16, the linkage 46 has the engagement projections 49 thereofplaced at one ends of the guide holes 48 and the chair support member 44is generally perpendicular to the floor surface 2, as shown in FIG. 8.That is, the chair support member 44 supports the chair 24. For allowinga patient or the like sitting on a wheelchair to enter the photocompartment 16, the chair 24 will be an obstacle to the patient and hasto be turned to the out-of-use position. In this case, the patient holdsand pivots the lever 24 a in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 10 to turnthe chair 24. As the chair 24 is thus pivoted, the engagementprojections 49 of the linkage 46 will gradually move from the one endsof the guide holes 48 toward the other ends.

[0067] Thus, the chair support member 44 is turned about the pivot 45 inthe direction of arrow B as shown in FIG. 10. When the chair 24 has beenturned to a position nearly parallel to the side panel 14, it will becaught by the engagement projection 58 of the catch 56 of the holdingmember 54, as shown in FIG. 11. Thus, the chair 24 is held in theout-of-use position generally parallel to the side panel 14. At thistime, the catch 56 will be pressed by the chair 24 and turned about thepivot 57 against the force of the spring 62.

[0068] At this time, the chair 24 can be turned slowly and gently due tothe damper 51. The presser 60 of the catch 56 will press the sensor 59which will thus detect that the chair 24 is precisely in the out-of-useposition. It should be noted that since the engagement projection 58 isforced by the spring 62 in the direction for catching the chair 24, thecatch 56 will be able to securely lock the chair 24 and hold the latterin the out-of-use position.

[0069] Note that for use of the chair 24, the holding member 56 shouldbe turned about the pivot 57 to disengage the engagement projection 58from the chair 24. Thus, the chair 24 will be allowed to be pivotable inthe direction of arrow A in FIG. 10, and the engagement projections 49of the linkage 46 move from the other ends of the guide holes 48 to theone ends so that the chair support member 44 will be turned about thepivot 45 in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 10 from the out-of-useposition to the in-use position.

[0070] Next, the control circuit incorporated in the main circuit board21 or the like built in the rear panel 12 will be described withreference to FIG. 12. The control circuit, generally indicated with areference number 70, includes a ROM (read-only memory) 71 having storedtherein a program and the like necessary for operation of the apparatus,a program storage 72 having stored therein an application program andthe like necessary for operation of the apparatus, such as a hard diskor the like, a RAM (random-access memory) 73 which is loaded withprograms from the ROM 71 and program storage 72, a billing unit 74 whichmakes an accounting by judging a money having been put in the fare box29, a sound output 75 to provide a voice data, a speaker 76 to providethe voice data as an audible sound, a drive 77 in which an externalstorage unit is set, and a CPU (central processing unit) 78 whichprovides a system control, all these components being connected to eachother via a bus 79.

[0071] Also, the bus 79 has connected thereto an image pickup-unit 17 aincluded in the photographic unit 17, the illuminating devices 26, 27and 28, the object detector 32 to detect whether an object person hasentered the photo compartment 16, the sensor 59 to detect that the chair24 is in the out-of-use position, etc.

[0072] The photo booth 1 is constructed as above functions as will bedescribed below with reference to FIG. 13:

[0073] In step S1, the CPU 78 judges whether the chair 24 is in theout-of-use position, namely, whether the chair 24 is generally parallelto the side panel 14 and a wheelchair can enter the photo compartment16.

[0074] More particularly, the CPU 78 detects whether the sensor 59included in the pivoting support mechanism 40 is pressed to turn on bythe presser 60 of the holding member 56. When the CPU 78 determines thatthe chair 24 is not in the out-of-use position, namely, that the chair24 is set in place in the photo compartment 16, it goes to step S2 whereit will get into a normal mode, namely, a photography mode, that is, itwill judge whether an object person is sitting on the chair 24. When theCPU 78 determines that the chair 24 is in the out-of-use position, itgoes to step S9 where it will get into a wheelchair-only mode. When inthis wheelchair-only mode, the CPU 78 will set a longer time up to aphotography because positioning of a person on a wheelchair forphotography takes a long time as compared with that of a person notusing any wheelchair.

[0075] When in the normal mode, the CPU 78 judges in step S2 whether anobject person is positioned in place for photography. That is, theobject detector 32, formed from an infrared sensor or the like, detectswhether the object person is in place for photography, namely, whetherhe or she is sitting on the chair 24 with the knees put in thepositioning concavity 31. When the object detector 32 detects that theobject person is in place for photography, the CPU 78 goes to step S3.On the contrary, when the object detector 32 detects that the objectperson is not in place for photography, the CPU 78 will go back to stepS2 and repeat the due operation.

[0076] In step S3, the CPU 78 prompts, via the sound output 75, theobject person to put a due fare into the fare box 29. More specifically,the sound output 75 provides a message like “Please put fare money intothe fare box” as an audible sound from the speaker 76.

[0077] Then, the object person will put a due money into the fare box29. At this time, he or she can easily put the money into the fare box29 while sitting on the chair or a wheelchair because the fare box 29 islocated for easy access from him or her. Also, since the fare box 29 isprovided at the side panel 13, even an attendant standing by the side ofthe object person or not near the fare box 29 can have an easy access toit by stretching the hand from at the entrance 23 to put the money intothe fare box 29.

[0078] In step S4, the CPU 78 judges whether the due money has been putinto the fare box 29. More particularly, the billing unit 74 determinesthe money having been put into the fare box 29. If the money isinsufficient, the billing unit 74 operates to request the object personto put the shortage into the fare box 29. When the money is excessive,the billing unit 74 operates to return the excess (changes) to theobject person.

[0079] Then the billing unit 74 signals the CPU 78 that the billing oraccounting is complete. The CPU 78 will judge whether the billing isover. If the billing is not yet complete, the CPU 78 returns to step S3where it will prompt the object person again to put the fare into thefare box 29.

[0080] In step S5, the CPU 78 gives a photography starting message tothe object person via the sound output 75. For example, the sound output75 provides a message like “Now, photography will start” as an audiblesound from the speaker 76.

[0081] A predetermined time later, the CPU 78 will put the image pick-upunit 17 a into action to start a photography of the object person instep S6. When thus driven by the CPU 78, the image pick-up unit 17 awill photoelectrically convert captured light and provide the electricsignal as an output. At this time, each of the illuminating devices 26,27 and 28 turns on its light source. Since the illuminating devices 26and 27 are arranged to illuminate the object person obliquely from thefront right and left of him or her, a photography can be made with nodifference in illumination between the forehead and chin of the objectperson's face, namely, between the upper and lower portions of the face,and with the facial wrinkles making no shadow. Also, since theilluminating devices 26 and 27 are arranged to illuminate the objectperson for a difference in illumination to be take place between theright and left portions of the object person's face, the picture thustaken will appear three-dimensional with less shadows.

[0082] In step S7, the CPU 78 gives a photography end message to theobject person via the sound output 75. For example, the sound output 75provides a message like “Now, photography is over” as an audible soundfrom the speaker 76.

[0083] In step S8, the CPU 78 supplies the data output from the imagepick-up unit 17 a to the first printer 18 or second printer 19 whichwill print an image onto a photographic paper on the basis of the inputdata. Then, the first printer 18 or second printer 19 will eject theimage-printed photographic paper to the photo outlet 38.

[0084] Note that if the CPU 78 has determined in step S1 that the chair24 is in the out-of-use position, it will get into the wheelchair-onlymode, and perform operations in steps S9 to S14. Since these operationsin steps S9 to S14 are the same as those in aforementioned steps S2 toS6, they will not be explained herein.

[0085] It should be noted however that a photography made in step S13takes a time, from announcement of the start of a photography in step inS12 until the photography itself starts, longer than that taken by thephotography in step S6. This is because the time taken for preparationof a photography of an object person sitting on a wheelchair willinevitably be longer than that for an object person not setting on anywheelchair.

[0086] The drive 77 can have loaded therein a removable recording medium80 such as a recordable or rewritable optical disk, magneto-opticaldisk, magnetic disk, IC card or the like. Image data on an objectperson, captured by the photographic unit 17, is stored in the removablerecording medium 80. The image data stored in the removable recordingmedium 80 can be read by any other appropriate information processingapparatus, for example, and used as a facial portrait of a patient in anelectronic medical card. In addition to recording into the removablerecording medium 80, such patient's image data may be sent to the aboveinformation processing apparatus via a transmitter/receiver connected toa network such as LAN (local area network) or the like.

[0087] Further, the drive 77 may be adapted to install an applicationprogram necessary for operation of the photo booth 1 into the programstorage 72 by loading therein a removable recording medium 80 such as aROM type optical disk. Of course, the program may be downloaded via thetransmitter/receiver and installed into the program storage 72.

[0088] Since the photo booth 1 constructed as above is flush at thebottom of the photo compartment 16 with the floor surface 2, there is nostep at the entrance to the photo compartment 16 and thus even a patienton a wheelchair or the like can enter the photo compartment 16 withouthaving to get off the wheelchair once and take another position. Alsothe photo booth 1 is to be installed in a hospital or the like and sothe possible uses thereof will include not only a normal person but alsoa person sitting on a wheelchair and a person using axillary crutches.The wheelchair or axially crutches of such a person may possibly collidewith the side panels when entering the photo compartment 16 from theentrance 23. On this account, one (14) of the side panels 13 and 14 isformed wider than the other (13), the narrower side panel 13 is fixed tothe floor surface 2 with the overturn-preventive member 22, the toppanel 15 is formed from the material smaller in specific gravity thanthose for the side panels 13 and 14 so that the photo booth 1 can beassembled with the center of gravity thereof being placed in a lowerposition. Even if the user of the photo booth 1 collides with any of theside panels when entering the photo compartment 16 and an impact is thusapplied to the photo booth 1, the latter can be prevented from beingdisplaced or turned over.

[0089] Further, the first to three handrails 34 to 36 will facilitateentering the photo compartment 16 and positioning for photography.

[0090] Further, in the photo booth 1, the chair 24 can be moved to theout-of-use position in the photo compartment 16. Therefore, with thechair 24 folded as having been described in the foregoing, the patienton a wheelchair can enter the photo compartment 16 without having to getoff the wheelchair once and take any other position. When set in placein the photo compartment 16, the chair 24 is securely supported on thechair support member 44 and a person such as a patient or the like cansit stable on the chair 24.

[0091] Also, when the chair 24 is folded for movement to the out-of-useposition, the lever 24 a provided to be opposite to the narrower sidepanel 13 will face the entrance 23, so that the patient on a wheelchairor an attendant for the patient can easily turn the chair. 24 forfolding to the out-of-use position by operating the lever 24 a. Also,since the fare box 29 is located near the side panel 13, namely, nearthe entrance 23, the attendant can easily reach the fare box 29 to putthe due money into the fare box 29.

[0092] In the photographic box 1, since the illuminating devices 26 and27 are arranged to illuminate the object person obliquely from the frontright and left of him or her, a photography can be made with nodifference in illumination between the forehead and chin of the objectperson's face, namely, between the upper and lower portions of the face,and with the shadows of facial wrinkles being not captured. Also, sincethe illuminating devices 26 and 27 are arranged to illuminate the objectperson for a difference in illumination to be take place between theright and left portions of the object person's face, the picture thustaken will appear three-dimensional with less shadows.

[0093] Further in the photo booth 1, when the chair 24 is turned to aposition where it is generally parallel to the wider side panel 14 inthe photo compartment 16, the CPU 78 gets into the wheelchair-only modeand sets a longer time for a preparation for photography from the stepof photography start announcement until the step of photography itself.Generally, the preparation of a photography will take a longer time foran object person sitting on a wheelchair than that for an object personnot setting on any wheelchair. That is, in the wheelchair-only mode, thepreparation of a photography can be done for a sufficient length oftime.

[0094] The embodiment of the present invention has been describedconcerning the example in which the chair 24 is folded or pivotedvertically. However, the chair 24 may be arranged to be pivotedhorizontally by means of another pivoting support mechanism. Morespecifically, the pivoting support mechanism, generally indicated with areference number 90 in FIGS. 14 and 15, includes a chair mount member 92supported on a pivot 91 provided vertically in the wider side panel tobe pivotable about the pivot 91. Also, the side panel 14 has formedtherein a cut 93 extending from a place where the pivot 91 is providedtoward the front end of the side panel. The cut 93 can receive thereinthe chair 24 and chair support member 92 turned from the in-useposition.

[0095] Because of the pivoting support mechanism 90, the chair 24 can beturned horizontally between a position where an object person can sit onthe chair 24 and a position where the chair 24 is not used. In thisout-of-use position, the chair 24 can be moved out of the photocompartment 16. Thus, the pivoting support mechanism 90 is similarlyeffective to the pivoting support mechanism 40.

[0096] In the foregoing, the present invention has been describedconcerning the photo booth 1 which is to be installed in a hospital orthe like. However, the present invention is not limited to such anembodiment but it is applicable to an identification picture-orientedphotographic apparatus to be installed at a street corner or aphotographic apparatus to be installed in a game parlor or the like, forexample. Because of the features of the present invention, anyhandicapped person will be able to easily use the photographic apparatusinstalled at a street corner or in a game parlor.

[0097] In the foregoing, the present invention has been described indetail concerning certain preferred embodiments thereof as examples withreference to the accompanying drawings. However, it should be understoodby those ordinarily skilled in the art that the present invention is notlimited to the embodiments but can be modified in various manners,constructed alternatively or embodied in various other forms withoutdeparting from the scope and spirit thereof as set forth and defined inthe appended claims.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0098] In the photographic apparatus having been described in theforegoing, since one of the side panels defining the photo compartmentis narrower than the other, the entrance to the photo compartment can beassured to be wider and the bottom of the photo compartment is generallyflush with the floor surface, any person sitting on a wheelchair, usingaxillary crutches or using any other aid can easily enter the photocompartment for photography of himself or herself.

1. A photographic apparatus comprising: a housing formed from a pair ofside panels and a top panel provided between the side panels in pair andhaving a photo compartment defined therein; a photographic meansinstalled at the rear side of the housing for taking a picture of anobject inside the photo compartment; a printing means installed on thehousing for printing the object image, captured by the photographicmeans, onto a photographic paper and ejecting the object image-printedphotographic paper to an outlet; and a shading member installed, byhanging, to the top panel at the front side, opposite to the rear side,of the housing to face the photographic means, one of the side panels inpair of the housing being formed narrower than the other and the bottomof the housing being formed generally flush with a floor surface onwhich the apparatus is to be installed; and the area extending from thefront end of one of the side panels to that of the other being used asan entrance through which the object is to enter the photo compartment.2. The photographic apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the photocompartment in the housing is open at the bottom thereof and closed bythe floor surface.
 3. The photographic apparatus as set forth in claim2, wherein the one side panel has installed thereon an overturnpreventive material for fixing the side panel to the floor surface. 4.The photographic apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the otherside panel has installed thereon a chair for an object person removablyto an out-of-use position in the photo compartment.
 5. The photographicapparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein the chair is verticallypivotable to the out-of-use position where it is generally parallel tothe other side panel.
 6. The photographic apparatus as set forth inclaim 4, wherein the chair is horizontally pivotable to the out-of-useposition where it is out of the photo compartment.
 7. The photographicapparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein the housing has providedtherein a detecting means for detecting that the chair has been moved tothe out-of-use position.
 8. The photographic apparatus as set forth inclaim 2, wherein at the lower portion of the photographic means, thereis provided a positioning concavity for positioning the object forphotography.
 9. The photographic apparatus as set forth in claim 2,wherein the housing is provided with a handrail.
 10. The photographicapparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the photo compartment hasprovided therein a detecting means for detecting that the object hasentered the photo compartment through an entrance.
 11. The photographicapparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the top panel of the housingis formed from a material lighter than the side panels.
 12. Thephotographic apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the shadingmember serves as a background of the object during photography and has agenerally vertical slit formed in other portion thereof than the portionwhich provides the background.
 13. The photographic apparatus as setforth in claim 1, wherein the shading member is movable in thedirections of closing and opening the entrance.
 14. A photographicapparatus comprising: a housing formed from a pair of side panels and atop panel provided between the side panels in pair, one of the sidepanels in pair of the housing being formed narrower than the other, thebottom of the housing being formed generally flush with a floor surfaceon which the apparatus is to be installed, a photo compartment beingdefined inside the housing, and the area extending from the front end ofone of the side panels to that of the other being used as an entrancethrough which the object is to enter the photo compartment; aphotographic means installed at the rear side of the housing for takinga picture of an object inside the photo compartment; a printing meansinstalled on the housing for printing the object image, captured by thephotographic means, onto a photographic paper and ejecting the objectimage-printed photographic paper to an outlet; a shading memberinstalled, by hanging, to the top panel at the front side of the housingopposite to close the entrance to the photo compartment; and anoperating means installed, near the photographic means, on one of theside panels of the housing.
 15. The photographic apparatus as set forthin claim 14, wherein the photo compartment in the housing is open at thebottom thereof and closed by the floor surface.
 16. The photographicapparatus as set forth in claim 15, wherein one of the side panels hasinstalled thereon an overturn preventive material for fixing the sidepanel to the floor surface.
 17. The photographic apparatus as set forthin claim 15, wherein the other side panel has installed thereonremovably a chair for an object person removably to an out-of-useposition in the photo compartment.
 18. The photographic apparatus as setforth in claim 17, wherein the chair is vertically pivotable to theout-of-use position where it is generally parallel to the other sidepanel.
 19. The photographic apparatus as set forth in claim 17, whereinthe chair is horizontally pivotable to the out-of-use position where itis out of the photo compartment.
 20. The photographic apparatus as setforth in claim 17, wherein the housing has provided therein a detectingmeans for detecting that the chair has been moved to the out-of-useposition.
 21. The photographic apparatus as set forth in claim 15,wherein at the lower portion of the photographic means, there isprovided a positioning concavity for positioning the object forphotography.
 22. The photographic apparatus as set forth in claim 15,wherein the housing is provided with a handrail.
 23. The photographicapparatus as set forth in claim 15, wherein the photo compartment hasprovided therein a detecting means for detecting that the object hasentered the photo compartment through an entrance.
 24. The photographicapparatus as set forth in claim 14, wherein the top panel of the housingis formed from a material lighter than the side panels.
 25. Thephotographic apparatus as set forth in claim 14, wherein the shadingmember serves as a background of the object during photography and has agenerally vertical slit formed in other portion thereof than the portionwhich provides the background.
 26. The photographic apparatus as setforth in claim 14, wherein the shading member is movable in thedirections of closing and opening the entrance.